»“This wine of divine unity induceth an entirely different kind of intoxication…”

“This wine of divine unity induceth an entirely different kind of intoxication…”

What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet from Baháʼuʼlláh, the original text of which is published in Amr va Khalq, vol. 3, pp. 40–41 [link].

The reader may like to know that a passage from this Tablet is also available in authorized translation: “The Mystic Wine of the one true God hath a different intoxication and imparteth another exhilaration. The one diminisheth the intelligence of man, the other increaseth it. The one leadeth to perdition, the other bestoweth life” (“Prohibition on Alcohol,” published in Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2, #1786).

Addressed to Ghulám-ʻAlí, the son of Dhabíḥ

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious

O youth! He Who is the Lord of mankind and the King of days proclaimeth: Well is it with him who today hath made mention of God and turned towards Him. Is it incumbent upon every one in this day to serve the Cause of Him Who is the Lord of the visible and the invisible. Happy is he who hath arisen to serve God, and hath gained renown amongst the Concourse on High and the denizens of the cities of creation alike for his love of the Almighty.

O ye who are intoxicated with the wine of knowledge! Quaff ye, in this spiritual morn, the true draught from the chalice of the favors of the All-Merciful. This wine of divine unity induceth an entirely different kind of intoxication, and the nature of this intoxication is not at all like the one to which men are accustomed. The wine of man detracteth from his understanding, whilst the wine of God addeth to it. The former begetteth oblivion, whilst the latter conferreth real existence. The one bringeth about violent headaches, whilst the other maketh the love of the Lord of creation your companion. Say: O thou who art shut out as by a veil! God is the Cup-bearer, and He proferreth the wine of immortality. Hasten ye unto that which God desireth for you, while renouncing what ye had desired for yourselves. I swear by My Name, which overshadoweth all created things, that this is best for you.

Convey the greetings of thy Lord to thy brother, thy mother, and all such as have believed in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

A typed version of the complete Persian text of this Tablet appears below (punctuation and Arabic vocalization mine).